Oddfellows Liquor Bar opening in the Short North

Anthony Dominic, Crave

Tuesday

Jul 29, 2014 at 12:01 AMJul 29, 2014 at 6:29 PM

The guys behind Mikey's Late Night Slice are ready to unveil Oddfellows Liquor Bar, their new Short North dive bar, this weekend. The bar will open at 3 p.m. Saturday in the former 83 Gallery space at 1038 N. High Street, next to Short North Tattoo and adjacent to The Shack of Mikey's Late Night Slice.

The guys behind Mikey's Late Night Slice are ready to unveil Oddfellows Liquor Bar, their new Short North dive bar, this weekend. The bar will open at 3 p.m. Saturday in the former 83 Gallery space at 1038 N. High Street, next to Short North Tattoo and adjacent to The Shack of Mikey's Late Night Slice.

There will be 16 beers on tap, a number of specialty liquors and a "drink menu showcasing classic drinks you haven't even heard of," says partner Mikey Sorboro, also CEO of Mikey's Late Night Slice. When asked about the breadth of the liquor selection, Sorboro says they "haven't nailed down everything," but there will be spirits for almost every palate. Food-wise, expect an "inspired snack menu," he says, featuring Pam's Popcorn, Thurn's beef jerky, house-made deviled eggs and Sriracha hummus. Mikey's Late Night Slice will also be available from the bar.

"The theme is ultra-dive," Sorboro says. "Not dirty dive like Mikey's [Late Night Slice], but every piece that you see in the place will be a conversation starter." From quirky wallpaper to old road signs to a bathtub full of plants, Sorboro and his team have packed the 1,400-square-foot space with odds and ends they've collected from around the country.

The bar's name is a nod to the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows, a 19th century fraternal organization-"the social order of the poor man," Sorboro calls it-that once occupied the building. Today, an "IOOF" emblem can still be seen on the building's facade.

Oddfellows will be open from 3 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily. A small weekend brunch menu will be offered in a few weeks, Sorboro says, and the bar will then open at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.